Oarisma edwardsii

(Barnes, 1897)

Edwards's Skipperling

Oarisma edwardsii, known as Edwards's skipperling, is a small grass in the Hesperiidae. First described by William Barnes in 1897, this occurs in Central and North America. It is recognized by its distinctive wing coloration and white-tipped wing fringes. The species has a wingspan of 22–29 mm, making it one of the smaller skippers in its range. Its MONA ( Photographers Group) or Hodges number is 4008.

Oarisma edwardsii by (c) Nick Block, some rights reserved (CC BY), uploaded by Nick Block. Used under a CC-BY license.

Pronunciation

How to pronounce Oarisma edwardsii: /oʊˈɛərɪzmə ˌɛdwərˈdsiaɪ/

These audio files are automatically generated. While they are not always 100% accurate, they are a good starting point.

Identification

Distinguished from similar grass skippers by the combination of white-tipped wing fringes and the specific pattern of orange-brown coloration with brighter forewing on the upperside. The yellowish hindwing underside with orange lower margin helps separate it from other Oarisma . The small size (under 30 mm wingspan) and relatively plain patterning without strong spotting or banding are additional field marks.

Images

Appearance

Wingspan ranges from 7/8 to 1 1/8 inches (22–29 mm). Wing fringes are white-tipped. Upperside of wings is brownish orange, with the forewing brighter than surrounding areas. Underside of forewing is brownish orange with black at the lower margin. Underside of hindwing is yellowish with orange on the lower margin.

Distribution

Central America and North America. Specific range details within these regions are not well documented in available sources.